Currently, the design of boats, boat accessories, and space allotment on a boat is the subject of intense engineering. Each of these is examined from the standpoint of functions, aesthetics, and ergonomics. The use of the boat and its various accouterments are ideally designed so that the boat is easy to use and navigate, the compartments of the boat designed for human occupation are comfortable and pleasing and functional, and the compartments for storing accessories are simple to access while abstaining from hindering an occupants movement and while also maximizing the use of the boat's on-board space.
In comparison to other water sports, wakeboarding is a sport still in relative nascence. The sport is similar to waterskiing in that a person, the wakeboarder, is towed by a rope behind a powerboat. Instead of riding a relatively narrowly ski, however, a wakeboarder rides an appropriately titled wakeboard. A wakeboard is much wider than a waterski and typically much shorter. In addition, the boats used to tow wakeboarders have a feature not utilized with waterskiing, specifically, a tower. From the tower, a mount is located from which the wakeboarder's tow rope is attached. The mount, being located at a higher point than the wakeboarder's grip, therefore provides a lift to the wakeboarder which facilitates the performance of tricks and stunts by the wakeboarder.
Wakeboarding is considered by its participants to be an exciting, fresh, and trendsetting sport. Accordingly, the items that go along with wakeboarding reflect this attitude. For instance, boards are fancifully decorated in a manner similar to skateboarding, surfing, and other so-called “extreme sports.” Therefore, a strong appeal to a wakeboarder is not only the function of a wakeboard's or a wakeboarding boat's design but also its aesthetic. Of course, the ergonomics, or simplicity of use, is also a factor.
Like in waterskiing, the wakeboard is usually carried on board the boat. In order to conserve space within the passenger compartment, it is preferred that any on-board wakeboards refrain from hindering the movement of occupants, and that the wakeboards are stored simply and securely, as well as being readily removed from storage for use.
Accordingly, there is a need for devices for on-board storage of board like accessories, such as wakeboards, that are functional and ergonomically and aesthetically pleasing.